There are two main types of rituals in Asatru. These are the Sumbel and the Blot. The Blot in my opinion is much more common and similar to rituals of other paths of Pagan faiths. Blot is an Old Norse word for blessing. Essentially you are going through a process of ritual and asking the Gods for their blessings.
Traditionally animal sacrifices were made to the gods for their blessing. However many today see this as messy and unnecessary. The animal sacrifice has been replaced of a more sanitary offering of a drink. Most generally the drink is mead (honey wine) but due to legality concerns of minors, things like apple juice and cider are good replacements.
There are a few tools you will need to perform a Blot. These include a drinking horn or cup, a bowl (blotbolli), a twig to sprinkle the mead (hlautteinn or blessing twig), and something to drink of course! Make sure you acquire these tools before attempting a Blot.
A Blot always has two things. A purpose and a process. The process is a series of steps. There are usually around nine steps, but it depends on the person's preference and the what the Blot is for.
These steps are usually
* The Gathering - This is when the Gothi and/or Gythia (priest [ess] ) gathers and members of the kindred gather to begin the Blot.
* The Hallowing or The Warding - In this step the area of the ritual is made sacred and pure. In my practice I would invoke the sign of the hammer Mjolnir and ask for Thor to make the area clean and safe. This is personal preference though.
* The Rede or The Meaning - This is when the Gothi and/or Gythia state the purpose of the Blot. Pretty simple process.
* The Signaling or The Calling - This is when the kindred and the Gothi and/or Gythia invokes the deity they are honoring.
* The Loading or The Hallowing - The mead is made holy and the Gothi and/or Gythia asks the deity to bless the mead.
* The Sharing - Each participant drinks from the mead and makes a hail to the deity invoked. The drink is then passed on to the next person. Each participant only takes a sip. Some has to be left over for the deity! The rest of the drink is poured into a bowl (blotbolli).
* The Blessing - Each participant and the altar is sprinkled with a little bit of the mead and receive a blessing from the deity invoked. The hlautteinn is used to sprinkle the mead on the participants.
* The Giving or The Earthing - The mead is then poured from the the blotbolli and back to the Earth for the deity invoked.
* The Closing - A conclusion of the Blot is made and a final thanks is given to the deity that was honored.
There are three basics elements to any Blot regardless of steps involved. Dedicate some sort of food and/or drink to the God, Goddess, or wight you wish to honor. Have some yourself and the group partakes as well. Share it with the God, Goddess, or wight through libation (pour it to the Earth). These elements are consistent in most Blots.
Example of an altar ready for a Blot.
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iPyUbZ6VAGE/0.jpg
Example of a Blot.
http://www.erichshall.com/disatext.htm
